


The new firehawk

by Elixirsbat



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Identity Issues, M/M, Multi, Other, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, katagawa needs validation, past drug usage, past eridium usage, they’re still getting used to eachother, tim is a people pleaser, trans tim, yes kat and Tim are a thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23290423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elixirsbat/pseuds/Elixirsbat
Summary: Tim is struggling to gain the trust of the people of sanctuary. It only takes some mysterious happenings, new powers, and a mental breakdown to get it.
Relationships: Handsome Jack/Timothy Lawrence, Timothy Lawrence/katagawa jr
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Tim wasn’t the luckiest man in the world. Far from it actually- but he was extremely lucky when the vault hunters and moxxi showed up to save him. Yeah he found it unnerving and scary that once again moxxi was threatening his life but hey! He would be too if someone had the face of the most hated man in the universe. He went to sanctuary after being rescued and even got a room of his own. Sure it wasn’t the best of rooms and the door was glitchy and people liked to spray paint mean things on the walls while he wasn’t there but It was better then nothing. It was cozy once he fixed it up properly and made it his own. He had been living on sanctuary for about a week, making it his normal routine to visit moxxis bar for a drink, often talking with Zane who was there quite often from what he’s seen. But it was nice- he had friends sorta. They didn’t mind his presence and that was enough for him. 

He was sitting at the bar with a glass of whiskey over ice when his echo began to ring. “Timothy, this is your frequency yes?” Patricia tannis’ voice rang from the speakers.  
“Uh- yeah? Tannis? You know you could just come to the bar and talk to me right?”  
“Yes yes but you see, I’m quite busy actually. I need a favor from you timothy. You never seem to be doing anything.”  
Tim winced at that- it was true however. He was freeloading off sanctuary and was only able to buy drinks off the Money he earned from small missions he did for random sanctuary folks.  
“Sure I guess.”  
“Splendid! Come to the infirmary please!”  
Tim got up, finishing his drink before making his way To the infirmary. It was really tannis’ lab but who was he to judge what she did on the side. He stood in the doorway, a little anxious to step through.  
“Come in come in! Timothy I need you to grab something very important from liliths bedroom.”  
“L-liliths bedroom- tannis I cant go in there!”  
“Oh sure you can! You do- know how to use the doors right?”  
Tim face palmed with an eye roll that practically screamed that he was annoyed beyond belief but tannis was someone that toleranted him. She was his friend now- he had to be polite and take her quirkiness into account.  
“Yes tannis I can open a door.. but what I’m meaning is- do I really have a right to go in there I-I mean..considering who I am.”  
“Who you are? I don’t know what you mean Timothy you have a right to be in there. Sanctuary is your home after all.”  
Tim whimpered slightly but he couldn’t deny that this was infact his home. He eventually agreed to her little mission.  
“Wonderful! I’d like you to retrieve the vault key map from her room and bring it back to me.” 

Tim sighed heavily as he stood in the doorway of liliths bedroom. He was scared to go in to say the least- but he didn’t want to disappoint tannis by saying he couldn’t do it. He braved himself and stepped inside carefully as if he’d explode as soon as he stepped foot inside. He was a little surprised that nothing happened to him. He laughed in triumph before looking around the room in awe. He saw the vault key laying on the table and smiled, grabbing it. He wanted to look around the room before leaving however, noticing two pictures up on liliths bed. A picture of what he assumed was Roland and Tina when she was a kid as well as a broken picture of lilith and Roland hugging eachother and looking like they were both laughing. It was a nice picture, bringing a smile to his face as he picked it it. It didn’t sit right with him that it was just broken like this. Liliths room was like a grave- a memorial to her since she’s been gone. He set the picture down and went to take the key to tannis. 

Once he dropped off the key he went back to liliths room, having flowers he paid for and a new frame in hand. He set the flowers down and began putting the picture in the new frame. He threw away the broken frame and smiled as he admired his work. As he was leaving he didn’t notice a safe beside his foot. He tripped over it, knocking the safe over with him. He winced and sat up, rubbing his sore knees as he looked back at the safe with confusion. He hadn’t seen that before. Tim’s eyes widened as he saw the spilled contents of the safe beside his foot- eridium bars and nuggets. He knew eridium was dangerous- he vowed long ago to never again touch the stuff. Not after how badly addicted he had been after the sentinels vault and his early days on the casino. Back then jack had many reckless behaviors..and Timothy at the time didn’t know what else to do besides indulge in behaviors with him. Tim was reckless as well..if not more. Jack was the only one to tell him what to do, how to act, what to say. And now that he was gone- tim for a long time, was lost. Ember however helped him as best she could- taught him That he was more then just his face, that he was timothy Lawrence. Not handsome jack 

Tim picked up the eridium despite everything in his body telling him not too. He looked up at the picture he fixed and sighed heavily. As he tried to get up he suddenly stumbled back to the floor as agonizing pain and a burning in his side cascaded over him like a wave. Everything went black 

The black seemed to fade out and an image like a memory began to fade in to view, correcting itself. He was standing in front of a large machine. A little girl he didn’t recognize at first seeming to float down to the floor weakly. A familiar voice belonging to jack ringing in his ears, Then the girls final words “dad I have to tell you something..your an asshole..” Tim watched as the life faded from her and slumped over dead. A voice rang from his own throat out of the blue.  
“How could someone do this to their own daughter..”  
“The kind of guy that deserves to die..”  
it was liliths voice coming from his mouth. He wasn’t himself he was in liliths body reliving this memory. As Roland talked, a flash came from behind him and suddenly blood spattered all over him- all over lilith. And a scream of agony escaping them.  
“ROLAND! YOU BASTARD! I’M GONNA-“  
Then just like that, jack whipped out a collar and forced them, him and lilith, to transport the vault hunters. 

The memory faded to black and another one came just like before. This one being jacks death at the hands of the vault hunters. Timothy watching it all happen through liliths eyes. Their vision clouded with purple. It was like looking through a purple fog. His body hurt all over and it was like every part of him was being surged with electricity. Forced to charge the vault key for jack to wake the warrior. Timothy hated jack...he loathed his pastes abuser.. but that piece of him inside that wasn’t affected by liliths emotions ached at the sight of the warrior falling and lilith finishing jack off. He hated that it was him watching as the arm that was liliths as well as his reached up and Used this- power that Tim had grown to fear end jacks life. Knocking him back and knocking the mask off his face. Seeing the scar reminded him of when he himself was branded..it was nothing compared to jacks but it did happen. He remembered it like it just happened- the way jack held him close and was so gentle and soothing to him, treating him like a king with dinner first while celebrating his hard work on Elpis and obtaining the H-source. Back then, Tim was young and stupid..he had fallen for the handsome hero. Not knowing just how much jack had truly changed..how much of that once cocky but positive and energetic man had truly died that day. He was blissfully unaware until it was too late, his head in jacks lap both hopped up on whatever drug jack deemed cool at the time when jack took out the brand and blowtorch. Tim looked up just in time to see jack torching the metal. Tim’s drugged up mind didn’t process what was happening, a giggle escaping him.  
“That looks like your scar Jackie. what’s that for anyway?” He slurred slightly, jack smirking down at him. “Oh pumpkin~ it’s for you.” He kissed Tim deeply before turning the torch off and mashing it into Tim’s face. Screams of agony and smoke filling the air and the smell of burning flesh heavy in the room.

Tim woke up suddenly with a start. The eridium gone from his hands and- HE WAS FLYING?! He looked down at his body and noticed his arm. Eyes widening in shock and jaw dropping as he saw bright yellow tattoos glowing on his arm and his sleeve burnt off. He yelped and his arm faded, dropping him back to the floor. He scrambled to his feet and ran to tannis’ room.  
“Uh- tannis I have a problem!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tannis and the rest of sanctuary are quite- surprised to find out that Timothy Lawrence of all people inherited liliths powers
> 
> Tim is pointed in a new direction to get a new hand

“I told you to get one thing timothy!”

“I know I’m sorry! I was fixing one of her broken pictures and one thing led to another and bam I’m like this!” He whined as he sat on the examination table in the infirmary. “I tripped over a safe that had eridium in it and before I knew it I was reliving a bunch of her memories and my left side was burning like crazy.”  
“This is a disaster..what is everyone going to say when they see that your the new firehawk. They’re riot! They’ll chop off your head and put it on a spike like a psycho would-“

Tim grew pale at the thought of them killing him like savages because of these new powers.

He looked up as tannis spoke again, “unless,” she mumbled more talking to herself then Tim, “you were to gain their trust first by proving your not anything like handsome jack.”

He winced at the mention of him, his name always made Tim’s blood run cold even after 7 years of him being dead and gone. “How am I going to do something like that with only one hand tannis?”

“You have a point..you wouldn’t last a day in the badlands with just one hand.” She thought for a moment before her eyes brightened as a metaphorical lightbulb came on in her head. “Have you heard of the new atlas ceo Rhys strongfork?”

Tim blinked in confusion. He thought atlas was gone because of Athena. Tannis rolled her eyes as she watched Tims worried expression turn to confusion. Even having the head tilt of a puppy seeing something strange for the first time. “But I thought atlas was- killed into submission..”

“Well it’s very alive now and thriving thanks to the new ceo. He’s a friend of sanctuary, tell him I sent you.”

* * *

  
“Who are you and what are you doing on my private line?!” Rang out a voice from a large projection of what Tim assumed was rhys strongfork. Tim had his face covered by his hood so he didn’t alarm anyone with his face as he came here.

“Uh hi- my names timothy and tannis sent me. She said you could give me a new hand.” Rhys seemed to relax some and sighed heavily.

“Timothy- I’m a busy man I can’t just drop everything to give you a new hand,” he looked to be mulling over the thought however, “actually- if you do something for me, I might be able to help you out. The vault hunters recently took out my corporate stalker katagawa junior. But I think they didn't quite finish the job if you know what I mean! So- I’m asking you to finish the job for me timothy.”

“Your asking me to kill someone with one hand?!”

“Oh hush you big baby. I was making gun prototypes and scavenging old atlas bunkers infested by skags and varkids with one arm. I’m sure you can handle it. But if you really want someone to help, ask a buddy of him. And I’m sure your lovely guide Lorelei wouldn’t mind to help.” Lorelei scoffed and crossed her arms.

“what makes you think I’m not busy Rhys?” The projection seemed to roll his eyes.

“I’ll give you a years worth of free coffee.” Lorelei grinned brightly, already pulling her gun from her back strap.

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

* * *

“So where exactly to we meet this zero guy at? And uh- will he try to kill me on sight of he sees my face?”   
  


Lorelei seemed amused by the question to say the least. “Oh yeah he’ll cut you down easily. But don’t worry. I’ll talk to him while you hide so maybe he won’t immediately kill you. Or he might- who knows.” She didn’t look the least bit concerned about it either, making Tim’s stomach twist into knots. They soon made it to where zero told them he was, Lorelei putting a hand on Tim’s chest to stop him.

“Wait here while I go talk to him. Don’t come out until I tell you alright?” Tim nodded and leaned against the wall, figuring it was take a while. Lorelei went in and closed the door behind her. Tim curiously stepped up to the door, putting his ear against it in hopes of hearing them, But nothing could be heard. He puffed out his cheeks and stepped back, crossing his arms in a pout. His bottom lip stuck out and eyebrows knit in a furrow. He tried to listen again, not hearing anything. He didn’t realize he lost his balance until he came tumbling into the button the opens the door. Falling to the floor in front of zero and Lorelei. Cutting of her sentence, both looking alarmed. Lorelei’s expression angry while zero had three exclamation points as his expression

“TIM WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” she barked out, Tim looking up in alarm and slight fear. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean too! I lost my balance and hit the button-“ he whimpered like a kicked puppy and glanced at zero. “I-if you want to kill me I don’t blame you zero- you wouldn’t be the first.”

zero’s visor cleared on any emote and he seemed to be in thought as 3 decimals appeared.

”I will not kill you. I can see the clear differences between you and handsome jack. He would never apologize, nor would he ever,” he paused and a winky face appeared in place of the decimals, “look so much like a kicked puppy.” Tim could feel his cheeks flush under his cracked mask. 

”so..will you help us then?” Tim regained his composure and out of instinct, dusted off his clothes and smoothed his hair. A habit he learned long ago from jack and never seemed to forget.

”yes I will help you.”

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter done! Sorry to those on my twitter that didn’t want the fanfic but it’s happening anyway   
> Hope you enjoyed


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